The Landscape Architect's Toolkit: Unity

Using the same stone variety on all vertical surfaces, from the pergola bases (foreground) to the fire pit and seatwalls (background), creates a sense of unity in the landscape.

The best landscape architects draw from a deep knowledge of design principles to craft beautiful outdoor spaces that reflect the homeowner’s personal style and enhance their enjoyment of their property. We have written about contrast, rhythm, and datum; another important principle you’ll find in our designs is unity.

Unity in landscape design refers to a cohesive, harmonious effect that is achieved by connecting all elements of the design through specific materials like plants and hardscape, as well as with the overall forms and proportions used throughout the property.

A common way to achieve unity in landscape design is to use similar materials, colors, and patterns across the design. For example, you might specify plants with similar foliage colors or textures, or repeat a particular species throughout the property. This will help to create a sense of overall coherence and, once plant spacing is factored in, can also contribute to the design’s rhythm.

Hardscape elements, such as patios, pathways, walls, and water features, can also be important for creating unity in the landscape. Installing similar materials—such as the same type of stone or the same color and finish of concrete—throughout the property creates a cohesive feeling. To “keep it simple” we often limit ourselves to no more than three different materials (e.g. one gravel, one floor stone, and one wall stone) on a project.

Other landscape materials, such as furniture, lighting fixtures, and accessories, can also be used to create unity in the landscape. Using similar furniture styles and materials—for instance, only modernistic wood seating—throughout the property, or only textiles within a narrow range of colors, makes for a harmonious design where every element feels related to the others.

We based the layout of this backyard’s outdoor rooms on a series of squares. Unifying the different spaces around this shape creates comfort and familiarity for even the first-time visitor.

Basing the layout of the landscape on repeated shapes, e.g. circles or squares, can also help to create a feeling of unity and familiarity. This may not even be a conscious awareness—the user only knows that the spaces all feel related, making the property feel like a cohesive whole. This creates what we call “sense of place,” and it is important for creating identity and ownership as well as for establishing a connection to the surrounding environment.

One of the biggest benefits that unity creates in landscape design is a sense of flow and continuity. When all the areas of the landscape work together, the eye is able to move effortlessly from one to the next, creating a calming sense of order. This is especially important for larger properties, where the landscape may be divided into several distinct “outdoor rooms.” When we as users see that these rooms are designed with similar shapes, materials, and finishes, the brain connects them and our intuitive navigation of the space becomes easier.

By connecting all your landscape elements with a limited palette of similar patterns, materials, and colors, you can achieve a sense of familiarity, safety, continuity, and place. Whether you are designing an outdoor living space for entertaining, a private retreat for relaxing, or simply an aesthetic or sensory destination, applying the principle of unity in landscape design can help you attain an outdoor space that truly reflects your needs and your style.